The 20 Million Double Dollar Man
by Chrome Cougar
Summary: Vash and his friends meet a wanted man trying to escape his past. This takes place one and a half years after the series.
1. Author's Note

Author's Note:  
  
I do want to tell you what to expect when you read this fanfic. As a disclaimer, I don't own Trigun or any of the characters. There will several original characters in this fanfic, and characters like Vash will play a major role in this fanfic, but the main story will focus on one of the original characters I have created. Also, this story takes place one and a half years after the series, so expect some differences in the characters Vash, Meryl, and Milly. I have put some humor in this story, but it will mostly have a serious tone. I'm a big fan of Trigun, and I will try to stay as faithful to the series as possible. That said, read on and I hope you enjoy this fanfic. Any reviews are welcomed. 


	2. The One Man Demolition Team

Dangerous things were afoot one day at dusk.  
  
"Well my friend, this is where it ends."  
  
"I don't understand, sir."  
  
"You did provide enough information of your specialty, but now because of some personal reasons of mine, we have to get rid of you."  
  
"Did you have this planned from the beginning?"  
  
"Yes, but don't take it personally."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"Let's just say that the main reason is that you and I have a few differences that might complicate our activities. It's a shame to kill a person of your usefulness. Good-bye."  
  
A single shot rang out and bloody gun battle ensued.  
  
TWO AND A HALF YEARS...  
  
In the small town of Walsh, Vash, Meryl, and Milly sat in the local saloon, waiting for an important meeting to start. They had been waiting for about an hour for an agent from the Bernadelli Insurance Society to discuss reports about a man who was linked to a few incidents in which several towns received substantial damage had reappeared after several months of hiding, and rumors were that the person in question was worse than Vash.  
  
"Man, when is she gonna get here?" Vash asked.  
  
"Kate should be here soon." Meryl replied, "She sometimes runs a little late."  
  
"Yeah, but she hasn't ever been this late before." Milly said.  
  
Vash sighed and looked around. There was hardly anyone else in the saloon, expect for the bartender, a table of card players, and a young man sitting alone in a corner. Vash had noticed him earlier and something told him that something about the young man wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. The guy was all by himself, and had short, light brown hair, and he wore a brown poncho, a long sleeved tan shirt, blue jeans, black boots, purple-tinted sunglasses, and was reading a newspaper and smoking some kind of cigarette. Vash thought he saw a gun holster on the young man's left hip, but he wasn't sure.  
  
Just then, a young woman about Milly's age walked in and looked around. (Author's Note: I assume that Milly was 21 and Meryl was 22 in the series.) She had shoulder length flaming red hair and had an outfit like Meryl's, except it was light green and gray. She immediately caught the attention of every man in the saloon, Vash in particular.  
  
"Wow, she's a cutie." he said and he immediately received a smack from Meryl, "Ow."  
  
"Hope that teaches you." Meryl said.  
  
The young woman saw Meryl and Milly and went over and sat down.  
  
"Sorry I'm late." she said, "I got a little lost."  
  
"That's okay, I'm glad you got here." Milly replied.  
  
"So, is this Vash?" the young woman asked.  
  
"Yep, I'm him." Vash stated.  
  
"My name is Kate Horton." the young woman said, "I'm pleased to meet you."  
  
So Kate, what is this all about?" Meryl asked wanting to get down with business.  
  
"Have any of you heard of a man named Ace Landen?" Kate asked.  
  
Everyone shook their heads.  
  
" Well, the Bernadelli Insurance Society has given the me task of locating him and I want to know if I can have your assistance." Kate said.  
  
"We'd be happy to help you." Milly said.  
  
"Yeah, anything of an old friend." Meryl replied.  
  
"Thanks, I do have some information on him that could help us." Kate said and she picked up a briefcase and took out some papers and passed them around, "Now, Ace Landen, also known as ÔThe One Man Demolition Team', has been linked to about two hundred and sixty-three incidents. A very serious one was when Blue City was half destroyed. As of now, Ace Landen has caused $$65 million in damages and has a $$20,000,000 bounty on his head."  
  
"Wow, if he has done that much damage and has such a large bounty on his head, why haven't we heard about him?" Vash asked.  
  
"It seems that he tries very hard to keep a low profile and most people who have witnessed his rampages have never gotten a really good look at him." Kate said, "The reports are conflicting, some say he is seven feet tall with a metal mask over his face, others say he is an android, and some say he has only one arm, but in all the rumors agree on several things."  
  
"What are they?" Meryl asked.  
  
"It appears that Ace Landen carries a powerful handgun, owns a zippo lighter with something called an American flag on it, and the most interesting thing about him is that he has one blue eye and one green eye." Kate said.  
  
"Wow, do you think it's true?" Vash asked.  
  
"I don't really care what he looks like, I just want to find him." Kate said coldly.  
  
"Why are you so interested in finding this guy, Kate?" Milly asked, "Did he do something to you?"  
  
Kate stared downed at the table and sighed.  
  
"Well, in a way, yes." she said, "About seven months ago, in my hometown of Dakota City, a fight started between a man rumored to be Ace Landen and several other men and it spread and caused a riot throughout the whole city. My father was hurt and he later died."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Meryl said, "We didn't know."   
  
"That's all right." Kate replied, "So, I asked the Bernadelli Insurance Society to give me this assignment so I could find Ace Landen and ask he if he was actually there."  
  
Vash was listening to Kate's story, when he noticed the young man in the back. It seemed he was also listening in on the conversion.  
  
"Excuse me." the bartender said, "I think I might have some information that might help you, miss."  
  
"Really? What have you heard?" Kate asked with great interest.  
  
"Well, I have heard the Ace Landen was last seen heading west. And I don't mean to tell tales out of school, but I did hear from a friend of mine that the guy has a stare that can burn through steel, and has slept with over fifty women." the bartender replied.  
  
"Man, he sounds like a pervert." Milly said.  
  
"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Meryl asked.  
  
Before the bartender could replied, a huge explosion occurred. Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate rushed to a window and looked outside. They saw an eight foot tall man with two cybernetic arms carrying an M-16 assault rifle with a grenade launcher attached to it.  
  
"Who is that guy, and what the hell he is doing?" Meryl asked.  
  
"His name is Orn." the bartender replied, "He comes into town once or twice a week to cause trouble."  
  
Vash stared at Orn angrily and started to walk out.  
  
"Hold it!" the bartender said, "If you value your life, you shouldn't go out there."  
  
"Sorry, I just sit around and let guys like that do what they want." Vash said, and he stepped out. The young man in the back watched Vash walk out into the street.  
  
"He's either very brave or very stupid." he thought to himself.  
  
Orn looked around at the deserted streets.  
  
"Gee, there's no one out here to greet us." he said.  
  
"These townsfolk are a bunch of cowards." his partner Diego replied.  
  
"I guess, you go in that building and go upstairs and try to find someone we can beat up." Orn said.  
  
"Got it." Diego said and he went into the building.  
  
Orn starting looking around again and saw Vash, but he didn't know who it was.  
  
"So, I hear you like coming here and causing trouble." Vash said.  
  
"Yeah, what's it to ya?" Orn asked.  
  
"Let's say I don't like your kind. You lack compassion for other people." Vash replied and he pulled out his gun.  
  
"Who in the hell do you think you are, punk?" Orn asked getting very annoyed.  
  
"They call me...Vash." Vash said.  
  
Orn couldn't believe his ears, "You're ÔThe Humanoid Typhoon'?" he asked.  
  
"Yes sir." Vash said.  
  
"Well, if I kill you, I'll make a name for myself." Orn said, "I would like to be known as the man who killed the legendary Vash the Stampede."  
  
"Too bad that won't happen." Vash replied.  
  
"We'll see about that!" Orn yelled as he aimed his M-16 and fired.  
  
Vash began to dodge the shots, catching Orn by surprise. After about twenty seconds, Vash fired his gun and the bullet struck the M-16 and knocked it out of Orn's hands.  
  
"So, is that all you have?" Vash asked, "Because if it is, you just don't have any skill."   
  
"I might not have as much skill as you," Orn said, "but I do have a partner!"  
  
Vash looked and for the first time had noticed Diego. He was up in the second story of the building, aiming an RPG right at Vash. Vash started to run as Diego fired the RPG, and the explosion knocked Vash to his feet and he felt a sharp pain in his right arm. He looked and saw a piece of shrapnel had cut deep into his arm, and the wound was bleeding badly. Orn picked up his M-16 and aimed at Vash.  
  
"Looks like I will get the chance to kill you, Vash." he said sinisterly.  
  
"I won't allow that." a voice said.  
  
Orn looked around and a saw a young man walking out of the saloon. Vash looked as well and saw it was the young man he saw sitting alone. Meryl, Milly, and Kate watched as he walked up to Vash and kneeled down.  
  
"Let me see that wound." he said and looked at Vash's injury and he bandaged it with a piece of cloth.  
  
After he was done, he stepped up and faced Orn.  
  
"Who are you?!" Orn demanded.  
  
"My name isn't important." the young man replied, "But we could say that I can become your worse nightmare."  
  
Orn started to laugh.  
  
"You're kidding, right?" he asked, "You must be stupid."  
  
"If you're looking for stupid people, I suggest you look in a mirror." the young man stated.  
  
"Why you little asshole!" Orn yelled and he fired his gun.  
  
The young man calmly stepped to one side and the bullet missed.  
  
Everyone stood motionless and stared in awe at the sight of what the young man did, except Orn, who was now getting madder by the second.  
  
"Let's see if you can dodge this!!" he yelled as he pulled out another M-16. The young man yelled and began to jump, weave, and run to dodge the bullets. Diego tried to aim at the young man, when suddenly Kate appeared and pulled out a combat, pistol-gripped shotgun from under her coat and fired. The shot struck a sign at one end, and it swung down and it hit Diego, knocking him out cold. One of Orn's M-16s ran out of ammo and he quickly discarded it. The young man dove behind a wall, but quickly reappeared and pulled out a gun that appeared an M19 Combat Magnum, and fired four shots. Two of the shots managed to hit Orn's wrists, quickly blowing one off. The other one, which was the one still holding the gun and was still connected to his arm by a few wires, started to flail around wildly since the gun was on full automatic. Shots zinged around like a group of angry wasps, hitting all around the young man, but none of them hit him by some stroke of luck. Finally, the gun stopped and Orn fell down to knees. He had not been hit by his own shots, surprisingly. The young man came out from behind the wall, put his gun away, and walked up to Orn. He could tell by the look on Orn's face that he was now frightened of him.  
  
"You look so pitiful." the young man said, "Like an animal at the mercy of the hunter."  
  
"You going to kill me now?" Orn asked.  
  
"No, I can't kill you like this." the young man replied, " But I hope you remember that I could have and that you'll do this again, because the next guy possibly won't be like me."  
  
He turned and started to walk away, and this infuriated Orn. He took the nub of left arm, and pushed a button on his right shoulder. A large blade shot out like a switchblade, and he leapt at the young man. The young man spun around quickly, pulled out his gun and fired two more shots. The first bullet struck Orn's left leg, just above the knee, and the second shattered his blade weapon. He collapsed and began to cry in pain. The young man went up to Vash and helped him up.  
  
"You all right?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Vash said.  
  
"Well, let's get the local authorities and see if they can get that guy some medical attention." the young man replied and Vash agreed.  
  
Later, after Orn and Diego were taken into custody, Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate came up to the young man.  
  
"I want to say thanks to you for helping me out." Vash said.  
  
"Your welcome." the young man said, and he turned to Kate, "And I must say thank you for taking care of that other guy."  
  
"You knew it was me?" Kate asked.  
  
"Yes, I can tell if a shotgun goes off by the sound." the young man stated.  
  
And with that, he started to leave.  
  
"Hey, wait a minute." Meryl yelled.  
  
The young man turned around.  
  
"Yes?" he said.  
  
"We didn't catch your name." Meryl said.  
  
"I didn't throw it." the young man said with a smile, and he walked away.  
  
"I wonder who he was." Milly said.  
  
" Me too, I wish he told us his name." Kate said.  
  
"Oh, I have the feeling we'll cross paths with him again soon." Vash said as the young man disappeared over the hill.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	3. Enemies Arrive

Author's Note: In this chapter, ( ) will represent a flashback.  
  
It seemed like any other afternoon in the town of Crystal Vista. People were out and about doing their own business, and things were calm. The local bar had its usually customers in, mostly the drunks and drifters. Just then, three mysterious people entered. The first one was a man that looked to be in his thirty's, had spiky black hair, and was wearing a gray trench coat. The second person was a woman in her mid to late twenty's, had blond hair with blue highlights in it and had on a similar trench coat. The third person was an older man whom looked to be about forty-something, had thinning gray hair, and what appeared to be a cybernetic right eye that glowed red. He too wore a trench coat, but his was black. All three headed up to the counter.  
  
"What'll you have?" the bartender asked.  
  
"I'll take a whiskey sour." the older man said.  
  
"A gin and tonic." the woman replied.  
  
"Vodka for me." the younger man said.   
  
The bartender started to get the drinks when older man leaned forward.  
  
"One more thing," the older man said, "have you heard anything about The One Man Demolition Team?"  
  
"You mean Ace Landen?" the bartender asked.  
  
"That's right." the older man replied.  
  
"Sorry, I haven't heard anything." the bartender said and he sat the drinks on the counter.  
  
The three stranger started to drink when a skinny, little man got up and walked over to them.  
  
"Hey, old man." he said, "You looking for Ace Landen?"  
  
"Yes, I am." the older man said., "What's it to you?"  
  
"Well, it so happens that my men and I are doing the same." the little man said and he pointed over to a table where four other men were sitting, "We're after the reward money for his capture."  
  
"You won't get it if my two associates and I find him first." the older man said as he sipped his drink.  
  
"You after the reward money as well?" asked the little man.  
  
"No, we just some unfinished business to deal with him." the older man replied, "Even if we have to kill him."  
  
"Hey, I'll be damned if I'm going to let some geezer, a blond and blue haired chick, and a over-sized guy that looks like he has a porcupine on his head get to Ace Landen before me!" the little man shouted, "That'll happened over my dead body."   
  
"Funny one should say that." the older man stated, "Ivan, Sphinx."  
  
The younger man and woman turned around, threw off their trench coats, and the the younger man pulled out an old M-60, while the woman pulled out a custom made rifle. The little man pulled out his gun, but one shot from the woman's rifle went right into his chest and he was killed instantly. His men saw this and went for their guns, but before they could get a single shot off, the younger man mowed them all down. The whole thing lasted less than ten seconds. When it was over, the man and woman downed the last of their drinks, as did the older man.  
  
"Come on, let's go." he said and they left.  
  
Everyone one left in the bar was in a state of shock at what had just happened.  
  
Meanwhile, out in the middle of nowhere, Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate continued their search for Ace Landen. They had managed to acquire four thomases, and were glad because they wouldn't have to walk all the time through the desert. While they were traveling, Kate was deep in thought. It had been five days since they had met the mysterious man back in Walsh Town. One thing kept repeating in Kate's mind. It had been the moment right before the young man left.  
  
("Wait, we didn't catch your name." Meryl had said.  
  
"I didn't throw it." was the young man's replied.)  
  
Meryl had noticed Kate's behavior, and decided to talk with her friend.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing." Kate replied, "I was just thinking about that strange guy back at Walsh Town." "I have been thinking about him too." Milly said, "He was very secretive to me."  
  
"I agree." Vash added, "He seemed like he was hiding something when we talked to him."  
  
"I know, he left almost immediately and didn't tell us his name." Meryl said.  
  
"I wish he did." Kate said, "I would've liked to getting to know him."  
  
Just then, Milly pointed at something in the distance. Everyone saw that it was a person sitting next to the trail. They rode up quickly, and when they had gotten close they saw it was the very person from five days ago.  
  
"Hey friend, you remember us?" Vash asked.  
  
The young man looked up.  
  
"Yes, you're the people I met back in Walsh Town." the young man said, "It looks like my horoscope was right."  
  
"Pardon me?" Meryl asked.  
  
"I had read my horoscope for today earlier." the young man said as he pulled a newspaper out of his pocket, "Under my sign Scorpio it said, ÔToday you will meet up with associates from the past The situation could be good or bad.' I was to meet you again."  
  
"Same here, we wanted to ask you a few things, but you left in a hurry." Milly said.  
  
"Really, what about?" asked the young man.  
  
"Well, actually I had some questions for you, but I'll ask them later." Kate said, "Are you heading somewhere?"  
  
"There's a town called Crystal Vista about seventeen miles in that direction." the young man said as he pointed north, "I am planning going there."  
  
"Would you like a ride?" Kate offered.  
  
"Yes, and thank you for asking." the young man said and he climbed onto Kate's thomas.They were off again and headed north where the young man had pointed. Some time later, another conversation started when Kate had decided to ask her questions.  
  
"Excuse, but by any chance do you have any info on a man named Ace Landen?" Kate asked the young man.  
  
"No, I can't say that I do, but I have heard of him." the young man said, "Why are you looking for a guy like that?"  
  
"My two friends and I work for the Beradelli Insurance Society and we're investigating all the damage Ace Landen has caused." Kate said, "And when we find him, we have to keep track of him so no further damage is done."  
  
"I see." the young man said.  
  
"I just realized something." Meryl said, "We didn't tell you our names."  
  
"Say, you're right, Meryl." Vash said and he turned to the young man, "My name's Vash."  
  
"As in Vash the Stampede?" the young man asked.  
  
"The same." Vash replied.  
  
"My name's Meryl Stryfe." Meryl said.  
  
"I'm Milly Thompson." Milly said.  
  
"And I'm Kate Horton." Kate said, "What's your name?"  
  
"Well, I'm...." the young man started, but he then pointed, "Hey, we're here."  
  
Everyone looked ahead and saw Crystal Vista a sort ways away. The covered about five square iles and had a population of six hundred people. In the center of the town stood the town's monument. It was an abstract sculpture made by one of the townspeople that was constructed out copper and perfect crystal. Meryl had mentioned that it was valued at $$20,000. When they entered the town, they instantly noticed a commotion near the saloon. They rode up and dismounted.  
  
"What happened here?" Vash asked.  
  
"There's was a shooting here about an hour ago." the sheriff said, " Three outsiders came in and two of the shot a bounty hunter and his men after a short confrontation."  
  
"What did they look like?" Meryl asked.  
  
"Well, like I said, there were three of them." the sheriff said, "Two men, one woman. The younger man had spiky black hair and had an M-60, the woman had blond and blue hair and carried some kind of custom rifle, and the older man was said to have a red cybernetic eye."  
  
As Vash and Meryl talked to the sheriff, Kate noticed that the young man had started to look nervous.  
  
"Is something wrong?" she whisper to him.  
  
"Yeah, I might have misinterpeted my horoscope." he said.  
  
Vash had one more question for the sheriff.  
  
"Are those people still here in town?" he asked.  
  
"Most likely, yes, but we don't exactly where." the sheriff replied," I have to get back to my office now."   
  
When the sheriff had left, Vash and Meryl came back to where Milly, Kate, and the young man were waiting.  
  
"It looks like those three people are still in this town." Vash told them.  
  
"I think I know who they are." the young man, "And I have some advice, either get the hell out of here, or find a really good hiding place."  
  
"Why's that?" Milly asked.  
  
"No time to explain, just do it." the young man replied and he ran off.  
  
"Who the hell is that guy?" Vash asked.  
  
"I don't about you, but I going to find out." Kate said, "Every time we try to ask what his name, he changes the subject. I'm getting tired of that."   
  
And with, she started to follow the young man. She saw him go into a middle-sized warehouse and she went in after him. The young man went up two flights of stairs, and Kate stayed close behind him. Then the young man went onto a second story balcony, and stood out and looked around the area. Vash, Meryl, and Milly saw him from their hiding spot.  
  
"I wonder what he's doing." Vash thought.  
  
"Hey, Miller!" the young man called out, "I know you're out there, so you might as well show your ugly face!"  
  
Just then, the three people who had been involved in the shooting came out from behind a small toolshed and stood in the street.  
  
"So, we finally found you, old friend." the older man said.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	4. Encounter at Crystal Vista

The young man stared at the three people from his perch.  
  
"Hello, Miller." he shouted down to the older man, "I see you've found me."  
  
"Yeah, that's unfortunate for you." Miller said.  
  
"I also that Ivan and Sphinx are here, but not Stingray and Johnny." the young man stated, "I take it you got my package I sent you in the mail."  
  
"That's right, but those two were idiots anyway and I never really liked them."  
  
"You're still your old self, Miller. And knowing you, you've hired a couple new guys to do your dirty work." the young man said.  
  
"Right again." Miller said and he did a hand signal and two men came out from hiding, ÔAnd I see you're still smart."  
  
Vash, Meryl, and Milly watched what was unfolding in front of them.  
  
"I'm beginning to have a bad feeling about this." Vash said.  
  
"Me too." Meryl added.  
  
"I hope Kate is someplace safe." Milly said as she looked at the building where Kate had followed the young man went into.  
  
Meanwhile, Kate stood silently as she watched the young man.   
  
"I was hoping we could have a reunion someday." Miller said.  
  
"Me too, but under different circumstances." the young man said, "Like you three six feet under and me dancing on your graves."  
  
Miller growled at the young man's near-cocky statement.  
  
"I can get that little weasel from here, sir." Sphinx said as she looked through the scope on her rifle.  
  
Miller placed his hand on Sphinx's gun and lowered it.  
  
"Not yet, let's try to have a little fun with him." he said, "Now we can do this the easy, or we can do it the hard way. If you just come down, we'll kill you faster." he shouted to the young man.  
  
Kate couldn't believe what she was overhearing. Why did those people down there wanted the young man dead? She started to step back, when she accidentally knocked over a large barrel, and it fell with a loud crash. The young man heard it and almost acting on instinct, he spun around, drew his gun, and pointed it right at Kate. Kate instantly froze. The young man saw who it was and lowered his gun.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, "I thought I told you to hide."  
  
"I need to ask you something." Kate said.  
  
"Now is not a good time." the young man replied getting somewhat frustrated.  
  
"You had your chance!" Miller shouted from outside, "Ivan, let him have it!"  
  
"With pleasure." Ivan said as he aimed at the area around the balcony.  
  
The young man knew what was going to happen.  
  
"Get down!" he shouted as he dove down. Kate did likewise.  
  
Gunfire began cut through the room. The young man threw himself onto Kate and shielded her. Wooden boxes were shredded into splitters, jars shattered into countless pieces, and deep gouges were put into the brick walls. The barrage ended after about a minute, and all was still. The young man sat and looked down at Kate.  
  
"You all right?" he asked, with a tone of concern in his voice.  
  
"Yes." Kate replied, "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome." the young man said, smiling, "Now this is important. I'm going to go out there, and when you get then chance, run and hide somewhere."  
  
"What are you planning?" Kate asked, but the young man didn't reply. He jumped and ran down the stairs, and Kate noticed a small, silver object drop out from the young man's poncho.  
  
"Wait, you dropped your-" Kate started to say, but she stopped when she looked at the object. It had a flag on it and Kate didn't recognized the design. It had red and white stripes on it, and had a blue square in the upper left corner with many white stars in it. She opened it and realized it was a lighter. She then took out a book that showed various flags from throughout human history, and began to scan through it.  
  
As this was happening, Vash, Meryl, and Milly watched in horror at what had just occurred. Vash's fear for the young man and Kate soon to anger at the three people who were congratulating the tall, black haired man.  
  
"Those bastards." Vash snarled, "They are the most detestable humans I've ever seen."  
  
"No, they're not humans." Meryl said, "They're scum."  
  
"Do you think Kate and that guy are dead?" Milly asked.  
  
Vash then saw something moves next to a small window. He looked closer and saw it was the young man. The young man began to mouth out words and make hand gestures. Vash understood and gave the young man a thumbs-up.  
  
"What's going on?" Meryl asked.  
  
"Cover your eyes, and get your guns ready." Vash said as he took his handgun  
  
Meryl pulled out two of her pistols, and Milly got her stun gun ready.  
  
Miller stared at the building cautiously. Sphinx noticed this and she came up to Miller.  
  
"What's wrong, sir?" she asked.  
  
"Something ain't right." Miller said, "That guy is up to something."  
  
"Sir, you can't be serious." Sphinx said, "You saw it yourself, Ivan turned that room into Swiss cheese."  
  
"That's right, boss." Ivan replied, "There's no way he can still be alive."  
  
"I'll be sure of that when I see his dead body." Miller said.   
  
He took one step forward, but stopped when saw the young man jump out of the building and threw a round, black object, which turned out to be a grenade. Miller and his group ran for cover as the grenade blew up, sending up a giant dust cloud. Vash, Meryl, and Milly made their moves. Vash fired to cause more confusion, Meryl shot off her two pistols, managing to hit one of the mercenaries in the arm. Milly got three shots off, but none of them hit any of their targets. After their quick attack, they all took cover in different spots. The young man likewise, hiding behind a metal feed bunk. When the dust settled, Miller looked around and cursed under his breath.  
  
"I hate that guy." he spat.  
  
"It looks like he's got some friends now." Sphinx said, "I heard at least two or three other guns."  
  
Miller pushed a button on a control pad on his wrist, and the right eye began to glow. He scanned the area and picked up the body heat of someone in a building in front and to the left of them.  
  
"There's someone in that building over." he said, "You, go and exterminate them."  
  
The mercenary who hadn't been shot by Meryl began to move silently towards the building. Meanwhile, Kate had gone through nearly half the book when found the information she was looking for. She couldn't believe what she found. She began to go downstairs quickly, yet quietly.  
  
Vash, Meryl, Milly, and the young man peeked out of their hiding spots. The young man had noticed the sheriff and two of his deputies had set up a lookout form their office and were waiting for the right moment.Vash, Meryl, Milly, and the young man peeked out of their hiding spots. The young man had noticed the sheriff and two of his deputies had set up a lookout form their office and were waiting for the right moment. Meryl hadn't noticed the mercenary coming up behind her until she saw his shadow. She whirled around, but the mercenary had already had his hands around Meryl's throat and began to strangle her. Meryl's vision was starting to go dark, and felt her body starting to weaken. Vash saw what was happening and wasted no time. He drew out his gun, and did something he rarely did, he aimed to kill. He squeezed the trigger, the shot went off, and in a split second, the mercenary loosened his death grip, and collapsed dead. Meryl began to gasp for air, hardly believing what Vash had done.  
  
The young man reloaded his weapon and was posed for another strike. He leapt up and began to shoot like a maniac. The wounded mercenary jumped out and took a few shots at the young man, but he was quickly taken out by the sheriff and his deputies. Miller had one last idea. He pulled out six grenades, pulled all the pins off at once, and threw them in the young man's direction. The young man saw the explosives heading his way and quickly began to fire again. He managed to defect all the grenades, but two landed right next to the base of the town's monument. They went off, and the sculpture fell like a domino and broke into several pieces. Miller knew that he had lost this round, so he pulled out a smoke discharger and he, Sphinx, and Ivan made their escape.  
  
Later, after Vash checked Meryl over and explained why he did what he did, (he said it was because he could let someone he cared about die), Meryl and Milly reassured the sheriff that Bernadelli Insurance Society would pay for the damage, and they found Kate. Vash spotted the young man, whom had taken off his sunglasses and seemed to be looking for something on the ground. Kate showed Meryl and Milly the lighter, but Meryl was skeptical.  
  
"Kate, you know how many people could own a lighter like this?" she asked.  
  
Kate started to respond, but just then, the young man came up and looked excited.  
  
"Hey, you found my lucky lighter." he said happily as he took it from Kate.  
  
Meryl, Milly, and Kate stared at the young man in silence. The young man noticed and asked what was wrong.  
  
"It's nothing." Kate said, "We've just never seen a lighter like that."  
  
"Fancy, ain't it?" the young man said, "I got it from an old friend. Well, I'll be off. I hope to see you gals sooner or later."  
  
The young man walked away as Vash rejoined Meryl, Milly, and Kate.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"It was his eyes." Kate said, "One was blue and then other was green."   
  
"That means that guy is Ace Landen. He has to be." Meryl said.  
  
"I don't get it." Milly said, "The rumors say he's a ruthless killer, but he seems pretty nice."  
  
"You remember the rumors about me?" Vash asked, "This is almost the same thing."  
  
"One things for sure." Meryl said, "We'll have to keep an eye on that man to make sure no more damage is done."  
  
The young man continued on his way.  
  
"Man, Ace, you've gotten yourself into something now." he thought to himself, "Miller has finally found me, and that town was nearly wreaked. I bet I'll get blamed for this. I do hope I meet up with those four people again, they seem nice. And that redhead is cute. On the other hand, I don't want to get them involved with my problems. I'll just wait to see how things turn out."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	5. New Wichita

Two weeks had past since the incident in Crystal Vista. Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate had lost track of the mystery man they had found out was really Ace Landen, the man with a $$20,000,000 reward for his capture. It was late afternoon and they were all resting at a small outpost town of no more than three hundred people. Meryl had just finished filing the report of the damage to Crystal Vista, which totaled $$27,000, and was now eating a banana sundae. Vash was having a drink inside while Milly and Kate sat with Meryl outside discussing what their game plan was going to be.  
  
"The trick will be trying to locate Ace." Meryl said as she ate, "He's known for being able to blend in with a crowd."  
  
"I agree, he likes keeping a low profile." Kate replied, "He won't just show up anywhere."  
  
Meryl and Kate could not have been more wrong. Right at that moment, Ace Landen himself walked right behind them and Milly noticed him.  
  
"Hey, hello Mr. Landen!" she shouted.  
  
Meryl almost choked on the sundae and Kate froze in her spot. Ace turned around and immediately recognized them.  
  
"Hey, it's you." he said, "What are three girls like you doing in a rustic place like this?"  
  
"We were just talking about how to find you." Milly said.  
  
"Well, you've found me." Ace replied, "I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to get going."  
  
He started to leave, but Meryl and Kate stood up.  
  
"Hold it right there, bucko!" Meryl yelled and Ace stopped dead in his tracks, "You're not going anywhere."  
  
"We have been searching for you for two days, and now I want to ask you a few things." Kate said, "You know how much damaged you caused back in Crystal Vista?"  
  
"If you're referring to that piece of crap that was called art, I actually wasn't the one who destroyed it." Ace stated.  
  
"Well, you played a role in it." Meryl said.  
  
"Whatever, see you later." Ace said as he turned a corner into an alley.  
  
"Wait!" Kate shouted as she rushed to try to catch up with Ace.  
  
She looked down the alley, but Ace had disappeared again. Kate noticed a piece of paper on a wall next to her. It said, "New Wichita" and had the initials "A.L." written on it. Soon, everyone had regrouped and had mounted their thomases and headed towards New Wichita. After two hours of traveling, dusk began to fall and there was no sign of Ace. Meryl thought they had been tricked into a wild goose chase, but Vash then saw a figure in the distance. They quickly rode up and found out it was Ace.   
  
"Man, how'd you get out here?" Vash asked.  
  
Ace took off his sunglasses.  
  
"I know a few trails hardly anyone uses." Ace said, "Plus I took an hour long break to give you a chance to catch up."  
  
"All right, enough of the games." Meryl said, "We have questions and we want answers now!"  
  
"Only if you ask nicely." Ace said in a sing-song tone.  
  
Meryl had a crazed look in her eyes, but Kate calmed her down.  
  
"Okay, may you please answer our questions?" Milly asked politely.  
  
"Yes." Ace replied, "What are your questions?"  
  
Meryl had calmed down and asked, "Are you really Ace Landen?"  
  
"Yes, I am." Ace said.  
  
"Are you aware that we plan on keeping you under twenty-four hour surveillance?" Kate asked.  
  
"No, I take it that's why you've been trying to find me, right?" Ace said.  
  
"Right, we're helping our friend Kate because she took the assignment of finding you." Milly said.  
  
"Personnel reasons?" Ace asked.  
  
"In a way, yes." Kate said, "That leads me to another question. Were ever at Dakota City anytime in the last year or so?"  
  
"No, I haven't." Ace replied, "Any other questions?"  
  
Meryl, Milly, and Kate were done for now, but Vash did have a couple of questions.  
  
"I have one." he said, "Any chance I can look at your gun?"  
  
"Sure, knock yourself out." Ace replied and he tossed his gun to Vash.  
  
Vash studied the gun. It was indeed an M19 Combat Magnum, and Vash saw that the gun had improved firing mechanism, and had Ace's name engraved on the bottom of the handle. He handed it back back to Ace and offered him to look at his .45 Colt Custom to be fair.  
  
"I'll look at it later." Ace said.   
  
Everyone remained silent for about half an hour, until it was dark and Ace pointed to a group of lights.  
  
"New Wichita is over there." he said, "We should be there in twenty minutes."  
  
"Any chance you know of a place where can can get something to eat?" Vash asked as his stomach growled.  
  
"I do know this one place." Ace replied, "Just follow me."  
  
Just as Ace said, they reached New Wichita within twenty minutes. Since it a weekday, hardly anyone was out in the streets. Ace led everyone to a small bar on the far side of the town called "J.T. O'Riley" and stopped and looked around. The last two customer left the bar and everyone hitched up their thomases and followed Ace inside.  
  
Inside, the barkeep was starting to lock up when Ace, Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate came in. He was a man of fifty-five, with thin white hair, and wore small eye glasses.  
  
"I'm sorry, we're closed." the barkeep said, but Ace sat down, "Didn't you hear me?"  
  
"I'd like to order my friends and I a round of nonalcoholic beer." Ace said.  
  
Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate exchanged confused looks with each other.  
  
"Really? That's quite an order." the barkeep said.  
  
"Hey, as long as it's better than sewer water." Ace replied.  
  
"Oh, I see. Come with me. I think I have some in the back." the barkeep said.  
  
"Thank you very much." Ace said and he waved everyone in.  
  
They were led to a cellar door, and went down a couple of flights to a second door. The barkeep opened it and everyone followed and then entered a waiting room.  
  
"Hey, Mark!" the barkeep said, "There's someone here to see you. I don't recognize his face, but he knew the passwords."  
  
"Thanks Sam, I'll be out in a second." a voice said.   
  
Sam left to finish closing the bar and a moment later, a man that looked a year or so younger than Ace stepped.  
  
"Hello, Mark." Ace said.  
  
"Well, if it ain't Ace Landen." Mark replied, "How are you doing?"  
  
"Well, I got some insurance people following me." Ace said as he pointed to Meryl, Milly, and Kate, "Miller has finally caught up with me, and I have met a legendary gunman."  
  
"Who, Vash the Stampede?" Mark asked, jokingly.  
  
"The one and only." Vash replied.  
  
Mark was surprised because he was kind of kidding around.  
  
Introductions were then exchanged with everyone and Mark Rose, a friend that Ace met several years before. Milly immediately caught his attention.  
  
"And who is this beautiful woman?" he asked.  
  
"My name's Milly Thompson." Milly said shyly.  
  
"Well, I must call Heaven because they're missing an angel." Mark said as he kissed Milly's hand and Milly almost fainted.  
  
"Easy, Mark, we got some business to take of." Ace said.  
  
"Yeah, like food." Vash said.  
  
"Vash, this is not the time for-" Meryl started to say, but she was cut off by her stomach growling and she then laughed sheepishly.  
  
Mark brought a tray of sandwiches and some drinks and everyone ate.  
  
"Excuse me, but how do you know Ace?" Kate asked.  
  
"Ace saved my bar a couple of years ago." Mark said, "Some guys didn't feel like paying for their drinks and when I told to pay or else, they started trashing the place. One of them got a hold of a gas can and almost set the bar on fire. Luckily, Ace was there and sacred those guys off."  
  
"How did he do that?" Meryl asked.  
  
"Simple, I pulled out my gun and gave my crazy eyes looked." Ace said and he showed the look.  
  
Meryl shuddered, "Man, that guy back in Walsh Town was right." she thought, "That is a look that could burn through steel."  
  
Anyway, Ace then helped me to repair the place and he and I became fast friends." Mark said, "I told him, if he needed help, he could come here and I told him the passwords to get after closing time."  
  
"So, that's what everything he said up there was about." Kate realized.  
  
"And speaking of which, what's your trouble?" Mark asked.  
  
"Miller is back in the picture." Ace replied.  
  
"Who exactly is this Miller guy?" Vash asked.  
  
"I did some business with a couple of years back, and he tried to kill me."  
  
"Why?" Milly asked.  
  
"It's a long and complex story." Ace said, "I'll tell you it later."  
  
"Right now, I think you guys should go to bed." Mark said, "There's some spare beds in there and a shower if anyone needs one in that room."  
  
"Thanks." Meryl said  
  
"Mark and I will be working on something tonight, so I'll go to bed later." Ace said, "I'll see you all in the morning."  
  
Everyone said good night and went to sleep. You thing kept going through their minds, though. What was Ace and Mark planning?  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	6. Strike at the Enemy and the Oasis

Vash woke up to the sound of Ace and Mark talking. He looked at the clock by his bed and saw it was twelve after eight. He got up, stretched and walked into the where Ace and Mark were. Vash looked in and saw Ace, Mark, and Sam going over a map of some kind.  
  
"This plan should be easy to carry out." Ace said.  
  
"When should we ask your friends if they want to take part?" Mark asked.  
  
"Take part in what?" Vash said out loud.  
  
Ace, Mark, and Sam looked up and saw Vash.  
  
"I see that you're awake." Ace said, "We thought of a plan to hold off Miller from trying to track us down, and maybe take out some of his men."  
  
Meryl suddenly appeared from behind Vash.  
  
"What do you mean by Ôus'?" she asked.  
  
"Well, since you four helped me out at Crystal Vista, Miller will try to get you too." Ace replied, "To him, any friend of mine is an enemy of him."  
  
"So, what do you plan to do?" Vash asked.  
  
"Let's wait for Milly and Kate to get up so they can hear the plan." Mark said.  
  
"No need for that, we're already up." Milly said as she and Kate came out.  
  
"All right then, let's get to business." Ace said.  
  
Over breakfast, Ace explained that Miller had a compound about thirty iles away from New Wichita, and that the plan was to take a shortcut to the compound, and destroy the weapons depot. Ace said that Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate didn't have to take part, but after thinking it over, they all agreed to take part since they felt they owed Ace for helping them earlier. The plan was simple: Mark, Meryl, Milly, and Kate would cause a distraction by getting some of Miller's men to follow them away from the compound. Then, Ace and Vash would sneak in through a small gate and plant timed explosives inside the weapons depot. Once they were set, and the building was destroyed, Ace and Vash would escape and meet back with everyone else. If anyone was to put in serious danger, it would be Ace and Vash only. Ace said it was a good chance that Miller would have other men helping him.  
  
They headed out at five o'clock in the afternoon. They decided to use their thomases since they wanted to approach quietly. At around quarter until seven, they reached the target. The broke into two groups, Vash and Ace went to the south wall, and Mark, Meryl, Milly and Kate took the east wall. Mark pulled out his Walther P38 pistol and two grenades. He chucked them over the side and they exploded next to a fuel tank. Mark, Meryl, Milly, and Kate made their getaway as alarms began to sound, people were yelling in confusion, and flames reached ten feet high what remained of the tank. Miller, Sphinx, and Ivan ran out to see what had happened.  
  
"Sir, we've spotted four people running away from the compound, heading north." one of the men said, "They seem to be using thomases.'  
  
"All right." Miller said, "Sphinx, take six men with you and hunt them down."  
  
"Yes, sir." Sphinx said and she and six other men mounted their own thomases and took off after Mark and the others.  
  
Ace headed Vash the six explosives.  
  
Okay, we need to put two on each level." Ace said, "There is a ground level, an upper, level, and a lower level. You set the timers for fifty seconds, and I'll place them."  
  
"Got it." Vash said and he set the timers as Ace looked for places to put them.  
  
Ace and Vash each took two and Vash went to the lower level as Ace placed his on the ground level. After they planted the explosives for the upper level, they went to the door and Ace pulled out a detonator.  
  
"Okay, in fifty seconds, this place will go up in flames." he said and pressed the button.  
  
"Wait, fifty seconds?!" Vash said startled, "I thought you said fifteen!"  
  
"What?!" Ace yelled, "Run for your life!'  
  
Vash and Ace ran like two bats out of hell. The explosives went off and the building was enveloped in a giant fireball.  
  
"OHHHHHH SHIIIIIIITTT !!!!" Vash and Ace yelled at the same time as the force of the blast threw them in the air.  
  
The explosion rocked the entire compound.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!" Miller shouted.  
  
"The weapons depot has been blown up! Fire is spreading to the surrounding areas!" one of Miller's men said.  
  
"Ivan, go get Sphinx and tell her to get back here." Miller said.  
  
"Yes, sir." Ivan said and he left.  
  
"There's only one person who would pull a stunt like this." Miller thought to himself, "It's got to be Ace."  
  
Elsewhere, Meryl, Milly, Kate, and Mark got to the meeting place where they would wait for Vash and Ace. They were unaware how close Sphinx and the other men were. They were spotted and Sphinx was the first to open fire. Mark jumped out and fired a barrage that managed to take out one of the men. Kate pulled out her shotgun and fired at Sphinx, who tried to dodge, but was lightly hit in her left upper arm. Meryl began to fire all her pistol rapidly and managed to disarm two more of the men. Milly used her stun gun and two more men were put out of commission. Mark saw the last guy had snuck around and was aiming for Milly.  
  
"Milly, look out!" Mark yelled, but he knew Milly won't have time to get out of the way.  
  
He leaped forward as Milly turned around and saw the gunman. Mark shoved her out of the way right before the shots was fired. Two of the bullets struck Mark in the left shoulder and his right leg, but he shook off the pain and shot the gunman dead, he then collapsed.  
  
"Oh, my god!" Milly shouted, "Mr. Rose, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I should be fine." Mark said, shaking from the pain, "They're just flesh wounds."  
  
Milly quickly applied tourniquets to Mark's wounds and managed to stop the bleeding. A short ways away, Sphinx, after tending her own wound, prepared to go in and take them out herself. Just then, Ivan showed.  
  
"Sphinx, Miller says for you and your group to haul ass back to the compound." he said.  
  
"Why? We nearly have them." Sphinx said.  
  
"There's a fire in the compound. If we don't contain it, the whole place will be ablaze." Ivan told her.  
  
"All right, I only have two men still alive, anyway, but they're out cold." Sphinx said, "We'll be back for them later."  
  
"What about the dead?" Ivan asked.  
  
"Screw them. Just leave them for the scavengers." Sphinx said coldly, and she and Ivan left.  
  
Vash and Ace got away without being seen and met up with the others. Mark was in serious condition and there was no way he could be taken all the back to New Wichita without making his condition worse. But Ace wasn't out of ideas yet. He told everyone there was an old oasis not too far from where they were and they could hide there for a couple of days. Ace took out a map, and a short while later, he got everyone to the oasis.  
  
"Good old Jack, you've never failed me." Ace said as they went in.  
  
The oasis covered about ten square miles and was fairly wooded and had a lake almost three iles long and two iles wide. After they found a good hiding spot, Mark was patched up and he fell asleep fast, as did everyone else. In the morning, Vash and Ace woke up to the smell of cooking. They got up and saw Meryl making breakfast while Milly watched over Mark. Ace looked around and didn't see Kate around.  
  
"Where's Kate?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, she went to take a bath in the lake." Meryl said.  
  
"Oh, no." Ace said and he took off running.  
  
"What was that about?" Milly asked.  
  
"I don't know, but I'd better go find out." Vash said and he went after Ace.  
  
Ace ran with all of his might towards the lake. He made it to the clearing and didn't see Kate. Suddenly, she emerged from the water, saw Ace, screamed, and covered herself with a towel.  
  
"Hey, you don't sneak on a woman when she's bathing, you jerk!" she yelled.  
  
Ace pulled out his gun and aimed at something. Vash came up from behind and stopped.  
  
"What are you doing, Ace?!" he said, "Are you crazy?!"  
  
Ace fired a single shot, everything was still. Kate stood motionless and heard something splash behind her. She turned around and saw a large dead animal. (Author's Note: Think of it as a cross between a gator and an otter.) She then quickly ran up next to Ace and held onto him like a frightened child. Ace hugged her and comforted her.  
  
"You...just saved my life." she said.  
  
"It's no biggie." he replied.  
  
"Damn, you had me going for a second, Ace." Vash said relieved, "What is that thing?"  
  
"It's called a Maw." Ace said, "They live in lakes like this one and usually eat fish, but they will attack other creatures, like humans. Come on, let's leave before another one shows up."  
  
Kate got dressed and they headed back to camp. Later, Mark woke up and felt stiffness in his shoulder and his leg. He tried to reach for a canteen, but Milly stopped him.  
  
"Don't try to move yet." she said, "You might hurt yourself more."  
  
"Thanks." Mark said as Milly gave him the canteen, "Were you hurt?"  
  
"No, you got me out of the way in time, Mr. Rose." Milly told him.  
  
"That's good, and you can call me Mark" Mark said, "Milly?"  
  
"Yes?" Milly said.  
  
"To speak the truth, that was the first time I had never cared about almost getting myself killed." Mare replied, "Usually, I try to avoid situations like that, but at that moment, I could only think about your safety."  
  
"That's very kind." Milly said.  
  
"And one more thing, when I first saw you, something in my mind clicked." Mark said, "I have to ask you, do you believe in love at first sight?"  
  
Milly was speechless.  
  
"Well, I..." she started to say, but she was cut off when Mark reached up and kissed her.  
  
An instant later, he leaned and and started to apologize, but Milly said it was okay and they kissed again. All the while Meryl and Vash witnessed the whole thing.  
  
"It looks like those two have a thing for each other now." Meryl said, "Last night , Milly told me that she kept thinking of Mark and hoping he would be all right after he saved her."  
  
"It's pretty soon, but I really think they are right for each other." Vash said.  
  
An hour later, Ace came up and told everyone to gather around.  
  
"I thought about it, and I think now is the best time to tell you all my life story." he said.  
  
"Really, you're finally ready to tell your story?" Kate asked, sounding excited.  
  
"Yes, all I ask is that no one interrupt me." Ace replied, "It's best to start at the beginning."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED.... 


	7. Ace's Story

(Author's Note: This part of the story will be told from Ace's point of view.)  
  
The first thing I remember was wandering the streets of some city. I had no name, and I never knew my parents. I went by "Ace" because I was called that by people who would give me money. They would say "Here you go, Ace", and I figured that I might as well go by some name. I survived by stealing, swindling, and making people feel sorry for me so they'd give me food or money. I would do that for a couple of weeks, then sneak aboard a sand steamer to another town or city, and then repeat the process. It went on like that for ten years, but everything changed when I got to a town known as Synapse. It was a town whose main economy was based on mining. I decided to go and try to steal from the mining group that was stationed there because I heard they had mined some gold the day before. Let's just say things didn't go as planned. I made it as far as sneaking into the camp. Before I could look for where the gold was said to be stored, I was caught. I was taken to the man in charge, and I feared the worst. But surprisingly, the guy was understanding. His name was Joe Garnet, and he was a man in his early forty's, and he asked me why I wanted to steal from them. I told him about me and I said I offered to work for him if he wouldn't turn me in to the authorities. I couldn't believe it when Joe said that if I really wanted to, I could work with the mining group. No one had ever been that to me before, and I was surprised. The next morning, I met the rest of the group.  
  
In the first team was Mikhail Ninorinsky, a big guy who was in his thirty's. He looked mean, but he was pretty nice. Funny thing about him was that he always had a flask of bourbon with him and he drank a lot, but I never, ever saw him get drunk. The second man I met was named Gabriel Altevo Ramirez. He was a funny man, and the second youngest person in the group at the age of twenty-five. Finally, I met Jack Landen. He was the junior member of the whole group at twenty-one years old, but he did his job well. The guys second team were Andy Cash, Josh Gannon, Philip Davis, and Leon Jensen, but I mainly worked with Garnet his team.   
  
Garnet told Jack to keep an eye on me until I earned everyone's trust, and I could tell that Jack was not happy about that. He thought of me as a nuisance at first, but after a while he and I got along. Jack was the explosives man in Garnet's group, and he knew much about gunsmithing. Mikhail manned the earth mover, and Ramirez hauled all that stuff that was mined during the day. Jack was a great guy. He taught about explosives and I learned a lot about explosives and gunsmithing from him. He and I even shared the interst for the same gun. It was himwho told me about this oasis. We joked around, get supplies, and other odd jobs, and we became almost like brothers. I even got to take his last name as my own as well, and he gave me that zippo lighter I now have. Eventually, Mikhail and Ramirez grew to like me, and I did earn Garnet's respect and trust. They called me"Emerald and Diamond Eyes", because my different colored eyes.The four years I spent with them were the best in my life up to that point.   
  
The mining crew moved around a lot, and we went to nearly two thousand sites all over this planet. We mined everything from diamonds to copper to iron. We all were pretty generous people, we donated some of our profits to the less fortunate, like orphans and widows. We didn't cause trouble, but there was one town, Walden, we all dreaded going to because some of the men there didn't like us, I never knew why. They called us scum and parasites and said we didn't belong anywhere, and they thought that miners like us kept rich people from moving to the town. We ignored them, but it was hard at times. One time, they tried to start a fight with Jack, but he pretended they weren't there and that pissed them off because Jack ignored them. They threatened to make sure we would never come back to Walden ever again. We had know they meant it.  
  
It happened nearly three years ago on the last day were supposed to be near Walden. We had been packing up to move on to the next site, and Jack and I were loading some equipment, when we saw a strange man snooping around. We chased him off, and I checked the to make sure we were on schedule, when several explosions rocked the site. Then out of nowhere, men in trucks drove and started shooting. I saw Garnet get hit in the chest, and he was killed instantly. Ramirez was running when someone shot him in the back, and then another man threw a grenade that landed near him, and he was killed in the blast. Someone with a gatling gun corned Mikhail and mowed him down. Jack and I were trying to find cover, when a guy jumped from behind one of the earth movers and pointed a shotgun at me. Jack pushed me out of the path, and the shot got him in his right lung. It was all over in a few minutes, but it felt like a few hours. The shooters ran away, and Jack laid don the ground dying. The last thing he said to me was, "Ace, you've been like a little brother to me, and we've had some good times. Good-bye, little bro." And with that, he was dead. Other casualties were Andy and Leon. The time of the attack was six seconds, after six minutes, after six in the evening.  
  
Those of us who remained went straight to the sheriff, but he told us he couldn't do anything since the attack was done outside of the city limits. We knew something and to be done, so we found out who was involved and we tracked them down. They had been the same guys who threatened us, and we found them celebrating their so-called "success". Celebrations were short-lived. We bought some guns and some explosives I made and we attacked their camp like they did ours. We surprised them, and managed to kill a couple of them right away. I was looking for one person, the man who killed Jack. I found him trying to load his shotgun and all I remember doing is pulling the trigger on my gun. I knew I got the guy with one shot, but I was so enraged, I kept on shooting. I spent the entire clip on the guy.  
  
The next morning, Josh, Phillip, and I went our separate ways. I told them that only I would be held responsible for the attack. Rumors about the attack spread fast. They all told that one person did all the damage, and that was when I earned the nickname, "The One Man Demolition Team". I knew that there was a chance I would sought after, so I went to the nearest gun smith and had him craft an M19 Combat Magnum. After it was completed, I went off to find a new way of living.  
  
One day, I was looking in the "help wanted" section, when I saw an ad for an explosives expect needed and I decided to apply. The next day, I met Miller. He liked the way I worked with explosives and hired right on the spot. I also told him about my gunsmithing skills. I then met Sphinx, Ivan, and two others men named Johnny and Stingray. It was okay at first, but after a few months, things went sour. I was always told to stay at the compound while everyone else left to do their work. To be honest, I thought they worked in demolition, like clearing roads or something like that. Some things started to worry me. Every time they came back from working, Ivan always had a new item with him. I asked him where he go them, and he told me he found them and it was none of my business. Sphinx was a total bitch, she always ordered me around. I always had to work on her gun when it got broke. Johnny and Stingray would harass me, and Miller told me to just to what I was hired to do. Miller and I argued nearly several times everyday. One day, I was told to come along on an assignment, and I didn't know what I was getting myself into.  
  
Ivan, Stingray, and Johnny left an hour before Miller, Sphinx, and I did. We went to a ridge, and before I knew what was happening, a caravan was being attacked. Most of the people had already been killed, and Miller and Sphinx starting picking off those who were left. I was too shocked to do or say anything. When it was all over, everyone but me started to go through the vehicles and started to steal anything of value, and I finally knew where Ivan got all of his stuff, he stole from dead people. I stood a ways from them, still in shock, when Miller stood in front of me and pulled out a gun.  
  
"Well my friend, this is where it ends." he said.  
  
I replied, "I don't understand, sir."  
  
"You did provide enough information of your specialty, but now because of some personal reasons of mine, we have to get rid of you." he told me.  
  
"Did you have this planned from the beginning?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, but don't take it personally." he remarked.  
  
"But why?" I asked.  
  
"Let's just say that the main reason is that you and I have a few differences that might complicate our activities. It's a shame to kill a person of your usefulness. Good-bye." he said with an evil grin on his face.  
  
Before he could shoot, I pulled out my gun and fired. The bullet struck Miller in the arm, and everybody started to shoot at me. I managed to dodge most of them, but I got hit a couple of times. Someone fired an anti-personnel at me, but I shot it back and started to run. I heard a loud BANG! and then I heard Miller screaming and I glanced back and saw him with hand over one of his eyes, I guess that the anti-personnel had wounded him. I ran like the wind, and never looked back after that. I happened to look at my watch and the time was six seconds, after six minutes, after six in the evening.  
  
I made my way to the nearest town. Once I made it to New Wichita, I searched for a place to hide. That was when I first met Mark Rose. Like he said, some men tried to destroy his bar, but all I did was take my gun out, and gave them a crazy-eyed look Jack showed me. They took off like roaches when a light is turned on. After formal introductions, Mark and I became fast friends. He even gave the poncho and sunglasses I wear now. I basically wanted to keep my eyes hidden from the world. That was when I became a drifter once again. I heard that Miller was planning to look for me, so I thought of a plan to get rid of him. I made an explosive and disguised it as a parcel, and had it sent to Miller's compound. I guess it did some damage, since I didn't see Stingray and Johnny at Crystal Vista. I kept moving for more than two years, never staying more than one week at any town or city.  
  
One day nearly eight months ago, I was in a small saloon out in the middle of nowhere, and I heard two guys talking about a man with a cybernetic eye, along with a tall guy, and a woman sniper looking for me, I told them my name was Luke Hahn, and that I had heard that Ace Landen was handing for Dakota City. A few days later, I heard the city was half destroyed in a riot after a fight had started. I was grief stricken at what I had done, because my lie to protect myself made many innocent people suffer. I still haven't fully forgiven myself for that. I eventually made my way to Walsh own, and that's when I met you guys.  
  
This was where Ace stopped his story. Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate all looks of amazement and pity on their faces.  
  
"Wow, that story is so sad." Meryl said.  
  
"Yeah, but I don't need you guys to feel sorry for me." Ace said, "I've gotten over most of it."  
  
"Now after hearing that story, I can't believe what some of the rumors say about you." Milly said.  
  
"Yeah, even I can't believe what they say." Ace replied, "Like the one that says I've slept with over fifty women. That's just funny. Truth be told, I am a virgin."  
  
Vash' s jaw dropped.  
  
Really?" he asked.  
  
Yes, it's true." Ace said.  
  
Ace looked over at Kate, whose eyes started tear up.  
  
"I'm sorry, Kate." Ace said, "I'm sorry I caused so much grief for you. It was my fault that Dakota City was damaged and your father died."  
  
"It's all right." Kate said, " I can forgive you. I never that knew you went through all that in your life."  
  
She started crying and Ace went over and held on to her.  
  
"There's no need to cry." Ace said, comforting her.  
  
"I know, but you've had a rough life." Kate said, "And you're a nice person, you didn't deserve all of that trouble."  
  
"No one does." Ace replied.  
  
Later, everyone had fallen asleep. That is, everyone except Vash. For some reason he couldn't sleep. He decided to get up and go for walk. Suddenly, he heard someone humming. He went over to a ledge, and saw Ace sitting alone on a large rock, and singing to himself. Vash and Ace were almost alike, and Ace reminded Vash of one of his dearest friends. Vash decided he would talk with Ace and try to get to know him better.  
  
"Once a year, say a prayer for me." Ace sang to himself, "Close your eyes, and remember me."  
  
"Mind if I sit here/" Vash asked.  
  
"Might as well." Ace said.  
  
Vash climbed onto the rock and sat down next to Ace.  
  
"Ace, you mind if I ask you something?" Vash asked.  
  
"Sure, go ahead." Ace replied.  
  
"Do you have ideals?" Vash said.  
  
"Oh, yeah." Ace said, "I have a few."  
  
"Me too." Vash said, "You mind if you and I talk and get to know each other better?" Vash asked.  
  
"You read my mind." Ace said, "I was going to talk to you sometime anyway, and we have all night."  
  
And so, Vash and Ace started their conversion.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	8. Ideals

Ace pulled out one of his cigarettes and light it.  
  
"You know those things will kill you eventually." Vash said.  
  
"Not these, I make them myself." Ace said, "They're just tobacco and mint leaves."  
  
"Oh.' Vash replied.  
  
"Anyway, you asked me about my ideals?" Ace asked.  
  
"Yeah, what's your outlook on life?" Vash asked.  
  
"Well, given all of my experiences, life can really suck. Of course, there are good points." Ace said.  
  
"I agree. Someone once told me you make your own destiny." Vash said, "What do you think?"  
  
"Maybe, if that's the case, I wish I had made some different choices." Ace said, "I think of myself as a survivor. No matter what happens to me, I manage to survive. I survived on my own, I survived the attack on the camp, and I survived Miller's attempt to introduce me to God."  
  
"I survived a lot of stuff too." Vash said, "Some people couldn't believe I did so without killing someone."  
  
"Yeah, to me, killing is terrible, but it can be justified." Ace replied, "I would only kill in the defense of myself or the innocent."  
  
"As for me, I don't like pain." Vash said.  
  
"Nobody does." Ace said, "The greatest pain of all is death. Death doesn't care who you are, or what you've done. I learned that after Jack and the others were killed. They were good people, but others who hated them just because who they were took their lives."  
  
"Hate is another evil." Vash commented, "It can be traced down to fear. Fear can lead to anger, anger becomes hate, and hate then leads to suffering. It's sad when you think about it."  
  
"Suffering is also something that happens to everyone at some point." Ace said, "Like in war, no matter what side wins, there is suffering for everyone. Innocent people always suffers the most. They lose loved ones, their homes, and sometimes their lives."  
  
"Do you think of yourself as a religious person?" Vash asked.  
  
"If you are asking if I believe in God, yes." Ace said, "I do pray, and I ask for forgiveness, although I am a strong believer in horoscopes as well."  
  
"It's funny." Vash said, "I had a friend named Wolfwood, and you kind of remind me of him."  
  
"All I want in my life is a place to live, and people to care about and people who care about me." Ace said.  
  
"Amen to that." Vash said.  
  
They laughed and talked for another hour. Ace offered Vash a cigarette, and Vash thought that since they did only a little tobacco and mint leaves, it wouldn't hurt. He tried it and it wasn't too bad. Ace asked if he could take a look at Vash's gun, and Vash handed it to him. Ace thought it was interesting and made the notion they should have a shooting contest when the business with Miller was over. Ace gave Vash back his gun, and they talked about Milly and Mark. They agreed they would definitely would made a great couple and they seemed to care about each other. Ace asked Vash if he and Meryl were a couple, and Vash simply said they also cared about one another. He asked Ace what he thought of Kate, and Ace said she was the most amazing woman he ever saw. They talked some more about Wolfwood and Ace said he would have like to meet him. Vash told Ace that he and Wolfwood would've gotten along great. Vash told Ace how Wolfwood's death affected him over time and told about his brother, Knives.Vash said he still didn't like killing, but he'd do it now if he had to. Vash asked Ace about the song he was singing, and Ace told him that somehow he always knew the words, and whenever he was in a tight spot, the song gave him courage. He had a slight memory of a woman singing that song to him, Ace guessed that it was his mother. They exchanged of more stories, and later were ready to go to sleep. Suddenly, a shot broke the silence of the night. Vash and Ace dove for cover and drew their guns.  
  
"Where did that shot come from?" Vash asked.  
  
"I don't know, but we have to get back to the others." Ace replied, "I think I know who the shooter is."  
  
Vash and Ace quickly headed back to where the others were as a feminine figure crept in the shadows.  
  
"You better pray for a quick death, Ace." Sphinx said.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	9. Demise of Sphinx

Meryl, Milly, Kate, and Mark woke up when the sound of the shot went off.  
  
"What's going on?" Meryl asked, startled.  
  
"I don't know." Milly said.  
  
"Wait, where's Vash and Ace?" Kate said, alarmed.  
  
Just then, Vash and Ace came into the clearing.  
  
"We have to find a safer spot!" Vash yelled.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?" Mark asked.  
  
"Sphinx has found us, and she'll find this location in a few minutes." Ace said, "Now let's move!"  
  
Milly and Meryl carried Mark as Vash and Ace guarded the front and Kate brought up the rear. They found a small ledge and hid under it. A few seconds later, a shot skimmed across the ledge.  
  
"Was that Sphinx?" Kate asked.  
  
"No, it was a different gun." Ace said, "I can tell by the sound, and that must means there is another sniper out there. Listen, I'm going to lead Sphinx away while the rest of you stay here."  
  
"Are you crazy?" Meryl asked.  
  
"A little, but I do have a plan." Ace replied and he ran out from the ledge.  
  
Sphinx was close to where Ace was heading and she tried to find a decent position. She didn't know that Ace was nearby aiming right her. She managed to spot him before he could shoot, and evaded him. Ace went to a new spot as Sphinx did the same. She found a tree that would provide with a perfect position and she climbed up. Ace hid behind a boulder and checked his ammo. He only had five bullets, so he had to use them wisely.  
  
"Hey Ace, why don't you come out and just get it over with?" Sphinx said as she looked through her scope, "Just come on out and get in my cross hairs and it over quick, I promise."  
  
"I don't think so, bitch." Ace said, "If you surrender and go home now, I'll let you live."  
  
"You're funny." Sphinx said, "You should have been a comedian, not a gunman."  
  
"Hey, you forgot explosive expert." Ace said and he jumped and threw a satchel that landed close to the tree, but the explosion didn't reach up to where Sphinx was.  
  
Meanwhile, Vash and the rest of the group had to worry about the other sniper.  
  
"I was hoping the single assassin theory would play out." Meryl said to Vash.  
  
"Well, things don't always go as we hope." Vash said and he saw some movement in the bushes. He aimed his gun and fired.  
  
Ten minutes passed, and Ace and Sphinx were at a stalemate. Ace only had two bullets left and he hadn't hit Sphinx yet. He knew he had to think of something.  
  
"Ace, you're a fool." Sphinx said, "I don't know why those people what to have anything to do with you. I think that after I kill you, I'll take out your friends except you the redhead. I plan on making her suffer, how does me shooting her in the kneecaps and leaving her to die in the desert sound?"  
  
Ace was now getting mad.  
  
"You won't get that chance." he said," Even if you kill me, you won't get past Vash the Stampede."  
  
"Nice try." said Sphinx, not believing him, "Like I'd believe that you managed to join forces with Vash the Stampede. Tricks like that won't fool me."  
  
"How about this one?!" Ace yelled and he flung a strobe grenade at Sphinx.  
  
It went off, temporarily blinding Sphinx. She lost track of Ace and she saw him looking for a new position. She aimed and pulled the trigger. CLICK was only thing the gun did. It had jammed up and Ace took the advantage. He pointed his gun and he fired just once. Sphinx saw the flash, and the last she heard was the glass in her gun's scope shatter. Her lifeless body fell to the ground. Ace picked her rifle and broke it in half.  
  
A short time later, everyone saw the damage Ace's shot had done. Sphinx looked the same, except her left eye was now a bloody, empty socket.  
  
The other sniper was only wounded by Vash's shot he was told he would be spared if he left and took Sphinx's body and gun back to Miller. The other did so, and when Miller saw had happened to Sphinx, he damned Ace and told Ivan to finish him off.  
  
The next morning, Mark was well enough to travel, and everyone went back to New Wichita. In the afternoon, everyone was sitting outside the bar and were relaxing for a while.  
  
ÔMeryl, how do you think the chief when react when he finds out about this?" Milly asked.  
  
"Hey, what he doesn't know won't hurt was." Meryl said.  
  
"Sounds like you've hung around with Vash too long." Kate said.  
  
Everyone laughed, when Ace stood up and looked nervous.  
  
"What is it?" Mark asked.  
  
"He's coming." Ace said.  
  
"Who, Miller?" Kate asked.  
  
"No, it's Ivan." Ace said, "Everyone get inside and hide."  
  
"No way, I'm helping you." Vash said.  
  
"Don't, this is my fight." Ace replied, "I have to face my demons alone."  
  
Everyone reluctantly went inside and Kate was very worried. Ace went out into the middle of the street and saw Ivan coming. Ace could see the heavy suppression machine gun Ivan was carrying and knew he meant business. Ace faced down Ivan when he stopped twenty feet in front of him. In Ace's mind, a song kept repeating.  
  
*Lay me down, in the cold, cold ground. Where afore, many more have gone. Lay me down, in the cold, cold ground. Where afore, many more have gone. When they come, I will stand my ground, stand my ground. I'll nay be afraid.*  
  
"Playtime is over now, Ace." Ivan said, "It's time for you to die."  
  
Ace stared at Ivan as a drop of sweat ran down his forehead. He was ready.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	10. Ivan's Fate

Ace and Ivan were in a face-off. Ace and his gun drawn and Ivan had his machine gun aimed at Ace's chest.  
  
"I was hoping that Sphinx would lose to you." Ivan said, "Now is my chance to put you in the ground."  
  
"What, no grieving for your partner?" Ace asked, "That's a little cold."  
  
"Sphinx was a dumb whore who thought too highly of herself." Ivan said, "And Miller knew she wasn't as good as she thought she was. Now, it's time for you to die."  
  
"Sorry, but I don't requests." Ace replied, "Besides, I got plans for my life. I got some my friends and there's this one girl I really like, and I want to see if anything will happen between us."  
  
"Too bad you won't live longer enough for that." Ivan said and he fired the machine gun.  
  
Ace jumped out of the line of fire and began to dodge the bullets with ease. Ivan tried to get a beat on Ace, but he was moving too much, and he hid behind a wall. Ivan got angry and started to shoot like a madman. He shot out windows, doors, and even blasted a wooden shed to splinters. Ace saw what Ivan was doing and he had to do something before the town was history. He ran out from his hiding spot and went down the street, and Ivan foolishly followed him. Ace led Ivan to an old mission and went inside. Everyone else went to the roof to see what was happening.  
  
Ivan burst inside and searched for Ace. He saw him on a stairway and fired relentlessly. Ace ducked away, but Ivan saw him drop something. He picked it up and saw it was a second gun. Ivan put it in his belt and went up the stairway. He reached the roof, and Ace was nowhere to be seen. Ace's head poked out from behind a pillar and Ivan nearly took it off. The machine gun clicked and Ivan knew he spent all the ammo. He took out the handgun Ace had dropped and began to hunt for Ace again.  
  
"You know, Ace!" Ivan shouted, "When I kill you, I'm taking your gun as my prize!"  
  
"Over my dead body!" Ace shouted back.  
  
"That's my point!" Ivan replied.  
  
Back on the roof of the bar, everyone was nervous as they watched the fight.  
  
"Come on, Ace." Vash thought, "You can beat that guy."  
  
Meryl and Milly were worried, but not as worried as Kate.  
  
"Please come back safe." she thought to herself.  
  
Ace and Ivan continued their game of cat-and-mouse. Ace saw Ivan coming up and he was ready to put his plan into action. He shot at Ivan to get his attention, and then ran to find more cover. Ivan chased after Ace with his finger on the gun's trigger. Ace suddenly stopped, turned around, and pointed his gun. Ivan was ready first though and fired three times. Ace coiled back and fell, and laid facedown.  
  
Vash froze as he, Meryl, Milly, and Kate watched in horror.  
  
"NOOOOOOO!!!" Kate cried out and she broke down.  
  
Ivan put the gun away and stared at Ace's body surrounded by a pool of red. He smiled and knew that'd he would greatly rewarded by Miller.   
  
"Time to claim my prize." he said.  
  
Ace suddenly spun over and aimed his gun.  
  
"I got your prize right here, bastard!!" he yelled and he fired.  
  
Ivan stood motionless. His face had a surprised and bewildered look on it and and small trail of blood dripped down from his forehead. He collapsed dead. Ace stood up and looked down at Ivan's body. Vash and Meryl saw him and couldn't believe it.  
  
"Look, Ace is okay!" Vash shouted.  
  
"But how?" Meryl asked.  
  
Milly had been comforting Kate and they looked up as Ace waved to them.  
  
"He's alive!" Milly shouted happily.  
  
"Thank god." Kate said.  
  
When Ace came back, he explained what happened. He placed a gun loaded with blanks for Ivan to find. He then told how when Ivan thought he had killed him and put his guard down, Ace made his move. He made his "death" look more real by dumping some tomato juice on him.  
  
"What's really ironic is that Ivan told me about that trick." Ace said.  
  
The next morning at Miller's compound, he discovered Ivan's body. Attached to it was a note that said, "You are next" with the initials "A.L." on it. Miller knew what would happen next, and he made the preparations.  
  
Ace, meanwhile, knew what he had to do now. It was time to face his final demon.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	11. Judgement Day

A week passed since Ace killed Ivan. It was a quiet afternoon, and the day was great weather wise. It was sunny, a gentle breeze blew from the west, and the temperature was mild. Vash and Meryl had just finished buying food and were heading back to the bar. Meryl had a lot on her mind.  
  
"Vash, what do you think Ace will do now?" she asked.  
  
"He told he has to face Miller one-on-one sometime soon." Vash told her, "Maybe sometime in the next few days."  
  
Vash and Meryl came up to the bar and saw Ace and Sam on the roof. Ace was target practicing with Sam launching clay pigeons. Ace was doing extremely well, even for him. Meryl went inside, but Vash watched Ace for a while.  
  
"I used to be just like him." Vash thought to himself.  
  
Many things had happened during the past week. Milly and Mark's relationship had grown much and they were very close. Kate had asked Ace about the statement he told Ivan during their fight when he said about there being a girl he liked and wanting to see if anything would happen, and Ace told her he had meant it a little.  
  
Later, Ace and Vash were by themselves and Ace had something important to tell Vash.  
  
"I plan to face Miller tomorrow." Ace said, "I figured that I've waited long enough."  
  
"Do you have a plan?" Vash asked.  
  
"All I can do is go there and kill him before he kills me." Ace said, "Anything I could think of, he'd expect it."  
  
"I see." Vash replied, "What time will you go?"  
  
"Sometime before everyone else wakes up." Ace replied, "I don't what to see them worry."  
  
That night, when everyone was still asleep, Ace got ready. He got dressed, put on his boots, and slipped on his poncho and got his gun. He went to where Kate was sleeping. She looked very peaceful and beautiful laying there. Ace went up to her bed, stroked her hair and kissed her lightly on her forehead, and left a piece of paper with "Kate" written on it. He then checked on Meryl, Milly, and Mark. Ace thought about how these people had been the first friends he'd had in a very long time. He hated the fact that is might be the last time he would see them. He quietly crept out of the bar and went to get a thomas ready.  
  
"So, you heading out?" a voice said from behind.  
  
Ace turned around and saw Vash sitting behind him.  
  
"Yeah, I am." Ace said.  
  
"Would you like someone to go with you?" Vash asked.  
  
"Sure, come on." Ace said with a smile.  
  
Ace and Vash got two thomases ready and they rode off as the suns began to rise.  
  
Half an hour later, Kate opened her eyes and yawned. She got up and stretched and saw the piece of paper. She unfolded it and see it was a letter. It read:  
  
"Dear Kate,  
  
I am sorry I didn't wake you up and say good-bye to you, but I didn't want you to worry about me. By the time you have read this, I will have already left to go to face Miller. I know that it seems crazy, but I'm to try to kill him before he maybe kills you someday while trying to get me. I don't want you to get hurt, you're a sweet girl. If I don't come back, I what to tell you that knowing you has been the greatest thing in my life. Good-bye.  
  
-Ace  
  
P.S. I love you."  
  
Kate put the letter down and started to sob. Meryl and Milly heard her and asked what happened and she showed them the letter.  
  
Ace and Vash rode up to where they could see the compound, which was no more than five iles away. It was the first time they saw all of the damage they inflicted on their small raid. The ammo depot was completely gone, as was most of the outer wall that surrounded it. The front door was open as if waiting for someone to enter. Ace knew Miller was waiting for him. He had waited this past week, for he knew Ace would come to face him.  
  
"This is where I go on alone." Ace said.  
  
"I don't know what to say, except good luck." Vash replied.  
  
"Thanks, I'll need it." Ace said, "Here, take this." And he handed Vash a folded piece of paper.  
  
"What's this?" Vash asked.  
  
"Read it just in case I don't come back." Ace replied.  
  
"All right, I hope I won't have to." Vash said, and then he remembered, "You know back at the oasis when you proposed a shooting contest between us? Well, if you make it back, I'd like to accept the challenge."  
  
"I'd like to do that as well." Ace said.  
  
"I got something for to say to Miller if you get the chance." Vash said and then whispered something into Ace's ear.  
  
"If things go well, I'll tell him that." Ace said.  
  
"And if things don't go well?" Vash asked almost afraid of Ace's answer.  
  
Ace paused and then said, "Then I'll say hi to Wolfwood for you."  
  
He then took off and headed for the compound.  
  
"There goes quite a person." Vash thought to himself, "Hope he makes it."  
  
Ace rode up to the compound and dismounted his thomas. He went inside and almost immediately, memories came flooding back. He remembered Jack and the other miners, he remembered the night he lost everything when they were killed. He thought of when he met Miller and the night he was almost killed by him. He remembered having to keep moving so he could stay alive. He thought of meeting Mark and finally thought about how he first met Vash, Meryl, Milly, and Kate at Walsh Town. Kate was especially on his mind since he loved her very much. He told himself he wasn't going to die, and that he and his new friends would have many more good times together. It was time to finally put his past to rest. He kneeled and folded his hands.  
  
"Dear Lord," He prayed, "I know I have not been the best person, and I wish things could've been different, but I feeling you have a plan for me. I hope that after today I can become a better person. So I ask you to forgive for what I have done in the past, what I have done in the present, and please forgive for what I am about to do. If you can do that, I will be very grateful. Amen."  
  
He then rose back up.  
  
"Miller!! I'm here!!" Ace shouted.  
  
After a brief moment of silence, Miller appeared and walked out to the middle of the courtyard. Ace stared him down as took out one of his cigarettes and light with the lighter Jack had given him. He took off his poncho and threw it to the ground, and then put on his sunglasses.  
  
"I see you have come here." Miller said, "You have more guts than sense."  
  
"Enough talk, let's end this." Ace said.  
  
"Good, I have been waiting for this day for almost three years." Miller said as his hand hovered over his gun.  
  
The song that gave Ace his courage went through his mind.  
  
*Lay me down, in the cold, cold ground, where afore many more have gone  
  
Lay me down, in the cold, cold ground, where afore many more have gone  
  
When they come, I will stand my ground, stand my ground  
  
I'll nay be afraid Thoughts of Heaven, stack away my fear  
  
Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears  
  
Once a year, say a prayer for me  
  
Close your eyes, and remember me*  
  
Is was then that Miller drew his gun and fired. Ace jumped to the right and drew his gun and began to fight back. He fired quickly and reloaded his gun as Miller did the same. Both men wanted to kill the other very much, and they wouldn't stop until one of them was dead.  
  
Back in New Wichita, everyone sat and waited anxiously. Meryl was reading a newspaper, Mark was having a drink, as was Milly, and Kate just sat. Meryl saw something and showed it to Milly and Mark.  
  
"Didn't Ace say his sign was Scorpio?" Meryl asked.  
  
"Yeah, he did." Milly said, "Why?"  
  
Meryl showed the horoscope for Scorpio. It read: "You shall face a great challenge today. There is an equal chance of success or failure. The outcome will depend on you only."  
  
Everyone became to worry more and hoped that Ace would return.  
  
Ace and Miller's fight had been going on for thirty minutes. Ace had spent forty shots and two cigarettes, and hadn't even hit Miller once. Miller had only spent ten shots and there were all close calls. Ace ran out in the open and grabbed his discarded poncho and ducked behind a crate. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone move by a window. He put his gun back in his holster and reached into his poncho and pulled out a shotgun. It was Kate's and he took because he had a feeling he might need something with a little more firepower. He aimed and when the person moved again, he fired. He figured it was a kill shot because the person fell to the courtyard floor and didn't move. Ace looked and saw it was the other gunman that was with Sphinx the night Ace killed her.  
  
"So, you still have some henchmen that help you with your dirty work?" Ace shouted to Miller as he reloaded the shotgun.  
  
"That's right, but it's hard to find good help for my line of work." Miller said back, "You've killed my best people."  
  
"Only because they tried to kill me." Ace replied and he shot at Miller and the fight was back on.  
  
Twenty minutes later, Ace saw that Miller had one more henchman left, and quickly disposed of him. It was really one-on-one now. Ace counted the bullets he had left, and was not happy he had only six left in his Magnum and none in the shotgun. He had to think of a plan to use them effectively. He saw a small piece of pipe and suddenly thought of a plan, it was risky, but it was the only idea he had. He picked up the pipe and threw it in Miller direction. Miller thought it was a grenade and ran from his position and out into the open. While Miller was distracted, Ace stood up and aimed. Miller saw Ace to his left and turned face-to-face to Ace, but it was too late. Ace fired five times, four of them hitting their mark. One bullet went through Miller's right forearm and he dropped his gun. The other three struck Miller in his legs and one cut into his left arm. He fell to the ground and Ace walked up to him and rose his gun just inches from Miller's face. After a moment he lowered it.  
  
"What's wrong? Aren't you going to finish me off?" Miller asked.  
  
"Part of me does for all the trouble you've caused me." Ace said, "But the other part of me doesn't. And you know why?"  
  
"Why?" Miller asked scornfully.  
  
"Because...this land is made of...LOVE AND PEACE!!" Ace shouted and he flashed the peace sign.  
  
Miller was speechless from shock.  
  
"I also think it's better like this because you know that I can kill you." Ace said, "Just remember that. Good-bye, Miller."  
  
He started to walk away, and Miller was furious. He picked his gun and aimed it.  
  
"You stupid bastard!!" He yelled.  
  
Just before he could pull the trigger, Ace spun around and fired. Miller felt a sharp pain in his chest.  
  
"I had one shot left." Ace said, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to use it."  
  
Miller then collapsed dead.  
  
Ace took no pleasure in what he had done.He had hoped that the whole situation could've been resolved peacefully, but part of him knew that wasn't possible. He then left the compound, knowing his past could now be put behind him. He mounted his thomas and met back up with Vash and they both talked about what happened along the their way back to New Wichita. Ace burned the paper he had given Vash since he survived.  
  
Soon, they returned to New Wichita and rode up to the bar and dismounted.  
  
"We're back!" Vash shouted and Meryl, Milly and Mark rushed out.  
  
Cheers were expressed and everyone was glad to see them both alive. Kate came out and saw Ace, and she was more than happy to see him.  
  
"Ace." she said, with her eyes almost tearing up.  
  
"Hi, Kate." Ace replied.  
  
Kate rushed over to him, wrapped her arms around him tightly, and buried her face into his chest.  
  
"You are a big jerk!" she said crying, "Don't you know how much I was worried about you? I..."  
  
"I'm sorry." Ace said as he put his hand on Kate's head.  
  
Kate looked up to Ace and they kissed each other softly.  
  
Vash and Meryl embraced each other and Vash had something very important to tell her.  
  
"Meryl?" he said.  
  
"Yes, Vash?" she asked.  
  
"I love you very much." Vash told her.  
  
"I love you, too." Meryl said and then they kissed each other.  
  
Mark and Milly watched and both were teary eyed.  
  
"Oh, this is so happy." Milly said nearly crying.  
  
"I know." Mark replied as he wiped a tear away.  
  
Later, everyone was celebrating. Ace gave Kate back her shotgun and told her it came in handy. Sam had provided a fine bottle of scotch and everyone all had a drink (Milly had couple more afterwards). Everyone then talked about what would happen now. Ace asked Kate if she minded dating an outlaw, and she said she thought it might be fun. That was when Sam pulled out and piece of paper and handed it to Ace.  
  
"Mark asked me if I could do a special favor for him, and since any friend on Mark is a friend of mine, I did it." Sam said.  
  
The paper read " By the power vested in me as Governor of and for the township of New Wichita, this document certifies that Ace Landen is hereby pardoned of any criminal acts he has done in the past. Signed, Samuel Chapman".  
  
"You're the governor?" Meryl asked.  
  
"That is right." Sam replied.  
  
"I don't understand, if you're governor, why do you work here?" Kate asked.  
  
"I like to be around people." Sam said, "And besides, the office is too boring."  
  
"Well, thank you very much, Sam, I mean, Governor." Ace said.  
  
"You are welcome." Sam said, "I'll spread the word you've been pardoned so no bounty hunters come after you again. And I can make one up for Vash if he wants it."  
  
"Thanks, that would be good." Vash said.  
  
"And one more thing." Sam said, "I sent a message to your boss requesting that a Bernardelli Insurance office be put here right across the street form this building and that you three young ladies would run it."  
  
"Really? Thanks." Meryl said.  
  
"We really appreciate it." Kate said.  
  
"Now we can all work and drink without having to travel much." Milly said, a little bit tipsy.  
  
Everyone laughed and knew their lives were all making a good turn.  
  
THE END 


End file.
